U.S.-Approved Arms for Libya Rebels Fell Into Jihadis’ Hands

New York Times ^ | December 5, 2012 | JAMES RISEN, MARK MAZZETTI and MICHAEL S. SCHMIDT

[Cincinatus' Wife]

.........................The United States, which had only small numbers of C.I.A. officers in Libya during the tumult of the rebellion, provided little oversight of the arms shipments. Within weeks of endorsing Qatar’s plan to send weapons there in spring 2011, the White House began receiving reports that they were going to Islamic militant groups. They were “more antidemocratic, more hard-line, closer to an extreme version of Islam” than the main rebel alliance in Libya, said a former Defense Department official.

The Qatari assistance to fighters viewed as hostile by the United States demonstrates the Obama administration’s continuing struggles in dealing with the Arab Spring uprisings, as it tries to support popular protest movements while avoiding American military entanglements. Relying on surrogates allows the United States to keep its fingerprints off operations, but also means they may play out in ways that conflict with American interests.

“To do this right, you have to have on-the-ground intelligence and you have to have experience,” said Vali Nasr, a former State Department adviser who is now dean of the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, part of Johns Hopkins University. “If you rely on a country that doesn’t have those things, you are really flying blind. When you have an intermediary, you are going to lose control.”

He said that Qatar would not have gone through with the arms shipments if the United States had resisted them, but other current and former administration officials said Washington had little leverage at times over Qatari officials. “They march to their own drummer,” said a former senior State Department official. The White House and State Department declined to comment....................

.....nearly a dozen current and former White House, diplomatic, intelligence, military and foreign officials, would speak only on the condition of anonymity for this article..............

[ballplayer]

I agree,Putin has to be Planning,the only leverage we had against Russian overt action In Syria is playing the Weapons of Mass destruction game against Syria. Will the World Community defend Assad and their Russian Backers Use of these weapons? What will Putin do Now is the Question. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/06/world/africa/weapons-sent-to-libyan-rebels-with-us-approval-fell-into-islamist-hands.html?hp&pagewanted=all&_r=0
This article is something Coming out Now in the Middle os all of this,Are there Russian Agents at the New York Times?

[lowbridge]

Bump

[Tilted Irish Kilt]

Yes , we have gone to war against Weapons of Mass Destruction before .

I would not be surprized that the rebels would detonate supplies of gas on their own populace .. and blame the Syrian nationals . Don’t forget that these are the same who use their own women to hide behind , place rockets in school yards and next to hospitals and playgrounds.
Our own government is no more honest than the rebels whom they have supplied , given “ Fast and Furious “ , Benghazi , etc.
I will await confirmation news from foreign sources.

[Go Gordon]

Isn’t the headline intentionally misleading by the NYT? US approved? Really? Did the congress approve arming the rebels? I think not. This was Obama and his cohorts, not The United States of America.

[Doogle]

The White House and State Department declined to comment....................

...a lot of that stuff from the most transparent administration ever

[mo]

’ Bammy is proving out to be as big an overseas disaster as he is at home!

[Broker]

Can anyone confirm or explain the extent of Russian military resources on - the - ground in Syria? Canada Free Press reportedly mentioned there are presently 100,000 Russian troops stationed there?

If so, a NATO and US response to WMDs will trigger ?

[Doogle]

..."you will do as told, or we will release the information WE have about your past and close ties with us....understand big ears?"

[txrefugee]

Benghazi is Obama’s international version of “Fast and Furious.” He and Hillary supplied guns to the “freedom fighters,” who of course, were Islamist jihadis and promptly used U.S. supplied weapons to kill the four Americans Obama betrayed there.

Of course, none of this could come out before the election, so the corrupt press sat on the story and is still covering it up. Someday, it will be published as “old news” that has no relevance to the newest “crisis” manufactured by the Left to keep the nation distracted as freedom perishes in the land.

[Venturer]

When you give a weapon to a Muslim you are supplying Al Quaeda with weapons.

It’s that simple.

[rodguy911]

As I recall someone here predicted that the regime,ours, would accuse Assad of using poisonous gas when in reality its the freedom fighters of Syria(terrorists) who in fact will use them and then blame assad.It was all predicted here.

[rodguy911]

I would not be surprized that the rebels would detonate supplies of gas on their own populace .. and blame the Syrian nationals .

BINGO!! Agreed I think it was Mesta that predicted this not sure.

[RoosterRedux]

U.S.-Approved Arms for Libya Rebels Fell Into Jihadis’ Hands

"You don't say?"

[longfellow]

Here is a better quote even scarier.So what if they get a bomb, they have no way to deliver it. Joe Biden, moron.

[longfellow]

Here is a better quote even scarier.So what if they get a bomb, they have no way to deliver it. Joe Biden, moron.

[longfellow]

Here is a better quote even scarier.So what if they get a bomb, they have no way to deliver it. Joe Biden, moron.